


Irkin Traditions

by TwitchyPyromaniac



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Child Neglect, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Light Angst, Tickling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:26:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29276157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwitchyPyromaniac/pseuds/TwitchyPyromaniac
Summary: When forced to work on a project together, Dib and Zim learn they have more in common then they originally thought.Dib/Zim Tickle-fic
Relationships: Dib/Zim (Invader Zim)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 62





	Irkin Traditions

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this to fulfill my need for some platonic Dib and Zim fluff. It can be seen as ZADR or ZADF. I don't care either way.

Dib grumbled under his breath as he walked next to his enemy, “Stupid Ms Bitters, and her stupid partner assignments…”

Zim rolled his eyes, the contacts that hid his true red eye colour sliding just out of place enough to warrant an off handed rub with the back of his tiny palm. “Silence, Dib-worm!” Zim said, finally tired of all Dib’s complaining. “We will gain no progress by complaining. Though I am no happier then you are at this arrangement, we need to focus on the big picture: you doing our project while I tell you what to do.”

“What!?” Dib Yelled, pausing in his walking. “No way! Why should I do all the work and let you get the credit!?”

Zim stopped walking his hands clasped behind him, just under his PAK. “Because I am the superior species, and you should be working for me,” He responded, as if it were a matter of fact. “All of you pathetic little worm-babies will be bowing before me in due time! One can not resist against the awesome might of ZIM!”

Dib growled under his breath, “You’ll never enslave the human race, Zim!”

Still, Dib let the subject drop as they finally approached his large house. No car in the drive way. Dib sighed as he realized his father would still be at the lab. The floating screens Dib’s father used to communicate with his children were never a favourite of Dib’s.

Dib couldn’t remember the last time he saw his father in person. Hell, at this point, Zim felt more like family to Dib then his own father did.

The large headed human led Zim into his house, and into the living room. Gaz sat on the couch with her game slave, angrily pushing the buttons.“Hey, Gaz, can we use this room?” Dib said, only to be met with a terrifying glare and a hiss remnant to that of a demon from hell. “O-Or we could go to the kitchen… That’s fine too…”

Zim followed raising an eyebrow at the way Dib’s demeanour changed. This didn’t seam like the Dib that the Irkin was used to. Zim was accustomed to Dib being all spitfire and righteousness, not meek and accommodating.

They walked into the Kitchen where Dib’s father, Dr Membrane, was being projected onto a floating screen, with several other screens around it.

“Um… Dad?” Dib asked, “Can we use this room?”

Dr Membrane excused himself, and the screen floated over to Dib. Zim took a step back, not liking the way the screen advanced on Dib. 

“I’m in the middle of a very important meeting. Take your friend to your room,” He said.

Dib’s eyes widened and he said, “But Dad! That’s Zim! You know, the alien! I can’t just take him to my room!”

Dr Membrane looked incredibly frustrated as he said, “Dib! What have I told you about all of this fake science you call the paranormal!? It’s corrupting your mind. I’m sure Zim is a perfectly fine young boy.”

“But Dad, he-“

“Go!”

Dib heaved a sigh, his shoulders slumping in defeat. He turned and motioned Zim to follow him upstairs to his room.

Zim considered making a comment about having been in Dib’s room before, but after seeing the way Dib looked towards the ground, he thought better of it. Zim had never seen his enemy so defeated before. It didn’t sit right.

Dib led Zim into his room, and warned, “Don’t you try anything, space man.”

Zim waved him off in favour of looking at all the paranormal memorabilia on the walls. “Obsessed much?”

Dib glared and said, “I don’t need to hear it from you too!”

Zim looked confused, tiling his head as he watched Dib. “What do you mean?”

“I already have everyone else telling me how crazy I am, I don’t need you telling me too!”

Dib sad down on his bed, removing his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. He hated people calling him crazy.

Zim sat next to Dib, suddenly feeling sorry for the boy. He wanted to cheer him up. “Um… Dib human… There’s an ancient Irkin tradition that is to be done when… Someone is sad to cheer them up. Would you mind if I practised it?”

Zim left out the part about the tradition being between Irkin who cared for each other.

“What?” Dib said, looking at the invader.

“Will you grant me permission to cheer you up?”

Dib raised an eyebrow, and said, “Y-You’re asking me for permission?”

Zim rolled his eyes and said, “Of course I’m asking you for permission! What do you take me fore some kind of pathetic, earth animal!?”

“W-What is it, Zim?” Dib asked.

“Well… It’s… Not easy to describe…”

Dib was concerned about what the alien was planing on doing, but his curiosity got the better of him, and Dib found himself nodding in agreement.

Zim smirked, and before Dib could process what was going on, Zim’s fingers were wiggling into his sides, forcing laughter from the human.

“Zim! Zim what are you- HAHAHAHAHA!”

Zim’s own laughter filled the air as he moved his tallied fingers gently across Dib’s clothed stomach and sides. Eventually, Zim moved downward, teasing Dib’s thighs, and fighting against his arms.

“Z-ZIM! STOP P-PLEASE!” Dib gasped between laughs. “I-I’M BEGGING YOU!”

Zim’s smirk got wider and he paused for a second. “I like it when you beg,” He said, before wiggling his fingers some more. “Do it again~!”

Dib tried to glare at Zim, but as the tickles intensified he finally gave in, “PLEASE! HEHEHE PLEASE! I-I-I BEG OF YOU!”  
Zim hummed in satisfaction, before pulling his hands back. “And now you are no longer sad,” Zim stated.

Dib was still trying to catch his breath as he asked, “W-Why do you c-care?”

Zim’s eyes went to the floor and with a voice just above a whisper said, “Because I know what it feels like to have the people you admire the most ignore you and send you away…”

Dib felt a warm feeling of closeness with Zim after the realization that Zim understood. He took in Zim’s face, and smirked as he said, “So… Here on Earth, we have a method for cheering people up too. It’s called ‘tickling.’ You wanna give that a go?”

Zim looked up, at Dib, before hesitantly nodding. Dib’s look became positively evil as he lunged forward and began to tickle Zim’s sides. Zim’s forced, manic laughter accompanied his squirming attempts to get away. Dib laughed too, reaching up to tickle Zim’s neck.

After a few spasms, Zim’s wig came off, having his antennae exposed. Dib reached up and began tickling the sensitive objects, causing Zim to squeal, and attempt to hide in a ball.

“No! Stop this madness at once, Dib Human!”

“Beg, alien boy! Beg!” “Never!” Zim yelled, causing Dib to try and tickle him harder. “o-Okay! HEHEHE Okay! I-I’ll do as m-much as you want me to on the p-project!”

Dib smiled, finally letting Zim up for air. The to sat on the bed chuckling, before Zim said, “Maybe we’re not a different as we thought?”

Dib laughed a little. “Maybe, Space boy… Maybe…”


End file.
